As soon as Shalini finished speaking, Randhir interrupted –
"But Shalini, before agreeing to anything, we must ask the children too. Both Aakash and Vaidehi have every right to choose their own life partners."
Agreeing with Randhir, Mala said –
"Thakur Ji is absolutely right, Thakurain Ji. And about Aakash marrying Vaidehi… we had never even dreamt of that."
Hearing Mala's words, Shalini took a deep breath, brought a faint smile to her lips, and said –
"Then start dreaming about it now, Mala. Because our Vaidehi will marry Aakash! Isn't that so, Aakash?"
Aakash, who had been silent until now, suddenly had a sparkle in his eyes – as though he was finally allowed to confess his heart before everyone. His face showed both a slight shyness and excitement. Slowly, he smiled and, in a deep voice, said –
"Absolutely, Chachi… you're right! I will definitely marry Vaidehi. After all, I came here only for her!"
The moment Aakash said this, the entire atmosphere turned silent. Mala and Randhir's eyes widened in shock. Their breaths seemed to stop for a moment.
Startled, Randhir said while still seated –
"Hold on! What's happening here? Are we hearing this right? Aakash… and marriage? And that too with our Vaidehi?"
Mala was equally stunned. She kept wiping the sweat off her forehead with her pallu and said –
"Yes, Thakurain Ji… we also don't understand. How can all this happen so suddenly?"
Her voice trembled with hesitation and fear, as though she was worried that a hasty decision could ruin her daughter's life.
Hearing Randhir's doubts and Mala's confusion, Shalini's smile deepened as she began to explain –
"Thakur Ji… Aakash is telling the truth. He came here only for Vaidehi! Don't you remember, when we sent him those photographs… Vaidehi's among them, and some other girls too, so that he could choose? Look… destiny itself has decided. His choice is none other than Vaidehi!"
Looking towards Mala, Shalini pressed on –
"Mala… Aakash has come here to ask for Vaidehi's hand."
As soon as Shalini said this, tears welled up in Mala's eyes. Overcome with emotion, she wiped her tears with her pallu and, with a trembling voice, said –
"Thakurain Ji… we had never even imagined this in our dreams."
Meanwhile, Aakash stepped forward. He gently bent down and touched Mala's feet. His eyes were full of sincerity and emotions. Rising again, he said softly –
"Mami Ji… I want to marry Vaidehi. I want to take her with me to Mumbai. From the very first glance… I liked her. Her innocent face, her simplicity, the sparkle in her eyes… everything touched my heart. Will you give Vaidehi's hand into mine?"
Aakash's voice carried so much truth that Mala's throat choked up. She took a deep breath, placed her trembling hand on his head, and said emotionally –
"Who are we to say no to you? In fact, we are overjoyed that our Vaidehi will have a husband like you. You've come as a blessing into her life. But…"
She paused. Everyone looked at her. With tearful eyes, Mala turned towards Randhir and Shalini and said –
"But we also want Vaidehi's consent. Without her approval, we cannot say anything."
A silence fell. Now all eyes were on Shalini. With confidence, she said –
"Don't worry about that. Vaidehi's answer will be yes. After all, how can she refuse my decision? Since childhood, she has considered me more than her own mother. And I am sure… she will honor my word."
There was a strange mix of arrogance and confidence in Shalini's eyes. Bowing her head humbly, Mala agreed –
"Yes, Thakurain… I too trust that completely."
Randhir, who had been quietly listening until then, gave a faint smile and said –
"Well… if everyone is so happy, then we have no objection to this marriage. After all, Aakash is our own boy. And if Thakurain herself has chosen Vaidehi for him… what could be better than this?"
Hearing this, smiles returned to everyone's faces. Aakash's face, however, was lost in thoughts of Vaidehi. His eyes seemed to be filled with dreams of a whole new world.
---
Night at the border.
Cold winds blew across the camp. The sky sparkled with stars. The darkness all around was pierced by the dim lights of the camp, giving the atmosphere a grave stillness. Everyone was ready. The air itself felt heavy with the anticipation of the mission.
Jeeps stood lined up. The roar of engines echoed. The clinking of weapons and the thud of boots made the ground tremble.
The Colonel surveyed everyone with sharp, stern eyes. Standing in the center, he shouted –
"This mission won't be easy. They aren't amateurs. To have smuggled supplies illegally for so long… they must have experience. So keep your eyes sharp. Every step must be cautious. Got it?"
The soldiers' response was so thunderous that even the wind seemed to halt for a few seconds. Along with Raghav, everyone shouted –
"Yes, sir!"
The Colonel smiled faintly, nodding with trust. His eyes reflected his belief that these soldiers would defend their country at any cost.
The soldiers moved towards their jeeps. The sound of boots grew louder on the earth.
Raghav, as always, carried his aura of authority and seriousness. Calmly, he pulled out black sunglasses from his pocket and slid them on – even in the night. But that was Raghav's habit.
Reaching his jeep, he got into the passenger seat next to the driver, with the same composed assurance as if everything was under his control. His gaze remained fixed ahead, his face unreadable, cold.
The other soldiers settled into their seats. The doors slammed shut, intensifying the heavy atmosphere.
Soon, the jeeps moved forward. The engines roared, tearing through the night silence. Their destination – Jodhpur. That was where the mission would truly begin.
As the convoy rolled on, a lighter mood began to surface.
One soldier, always lively and smiling, said cheerfully –
"Well, it's a long journey… why don't we listen to a good song? Who knows, maybe this mission itself will give us a new story to live."
His words made the others laugh. A soldier took out his phone and played a song at low volume.
The tune of love filled the air. The soldiers momentarily lost themselves in it. Their eyes reflected their own stories – one drifted into thoughts of home, another remembered his fiancée. Each face carried a different story.
But Raghav… his eyes were closed, yet his face showed no reaction. The melody didn't touch his heart. He seemed lost in some other world.
One soldier remarked –
"This song is full of sorrow. Looks like whoever wrote it must've had unfulfilled love."
Everyone laughed.
The same mischievous soldier, known for making jokes, leaned towards Raghav and teased –
"So Captain Raghav… do you have someone you love?"
At once, the soldiers' eyes lit up. All eyes turned to Raghav, eager to hear his secret. They thought some revelation was about to happen.
But Raghav didn't respond. His eyes stayed fixed ahead, lips sealed, as if he hadn't heard at all. The soldiers' curiosity grew.
After a tense silence, just when everyone's heartbeat rose in anticipation, Raghav suddenly spoke in a deep, heavy voice –
"There is only one I love…"
The soldiers were stunned. Their faces lit up with excitement and smiles. One soldier quickly asked –
"Who is she? Can we know her name?"
Without changing his expression, Raghav replied coldly –
"My country. In my heart, there is only love and boundless respect for my country… as there should be in the heart of every soldier."
Silence fell. The soldiers' smiles faded. Some made faces, as though their hopes had been dashed. One muttered softly –
"We thought… a girl's name would come out."
Another burst out laughing –
"Brother, Captain Raghav turned out to be a true patriot! He can never love anyone else."
The others chuckled, half amused, half disappointed. But deep inside, Raghav's words filled them with pride.
Raghav quietly looked out of the window. The wind brushed against his face. His eyes shone with a strange light. No one knew what storm brewed inside him.
---
Morning.
Sunlight streamed gently through the windows. In the kitchen, Vaidehi was making tea. Steam from the kettle moistened her face. Strands of her loose, slightly messy hair brushed against her cheeks. She moved them aside with her pallu and slowly added tea leaves to the boiling milk.
Mala entered the kitchen. Her face carried hesitation and unease. She stood silently for a while, watching Vaidehi, then said softly –
"Vaidehi… child… I need to talk to you about something important."
Smiling faintly, Vaidehi looked at her, then stirred the tea again.
"What happened, Mami Ji? Why are you speaking so seriously? Is everything okay?"
Mala took a deep breath, searching for words, then said –
"Child… you're grown now. Responsible, sensible… and now… now we must think about your marriage too."
The spoon in Vaidehi's hand froze. She forgot to stir the milk. Her eyes widened.
"Marriage?… Mami Ji… suddenly… so early in the morning… why?"
Her face showed genuine surprise. Before she could say more, there was a knock at the door. Vaidehi and Mala looked at each other. Mala quickly went to open it. At the door stood Shalini and Aakash.
Vaidehi's heart thudded. She had never imagined seeing them at her doorstep so early in the morning.
In her mind, she thought –
"Thakurain Ji… here? At this hour?"
She hurried outside. Aakash's gaze was fixed on her – her messy hair, her innocent morning face, the glow in her eyes despite her weariness… Vaidehi appeared to him in an entirely new light.
A gentle smile touched Aakash's lips. His eyes sparkled with something special for her. He wanted to look away, but couldn't.
Mala quickly invited them inside –
"Thakurain Ji? Please, please come in!"
Vaidehi too brought chairs and gestured for them to sit. She glanced once at Aakash before asking Shalini –
"Thakurain Ji… you, so early in our small house… is something the matter?"
Shalini smiled at her. She slowly rose and came directly to Vaidehi, taking her hand in hers. A shiver ran through Vaidehi. She looked at her in confusion.
In a very gentle voice, Shalini said –
"Vaidehi… child… I know what I'm about to say will seem sudden, but we all have discussed it. We want you to marry Aakash."
Vaidehi froze. Her eyes widened. Stammering in a trembling voice, she said –
"Wha… what did you just say?… My… my marriage?"
To be continued